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Obesity and lipid metabolism of SD rats were studied with an edible Nigerian mushroom, namely, Lentinus tuber-regium (Fries) Singer. Experimental diets prepared with Lentinus tuber-regium (LTR) instead of carbohydrates were fed to SD rats for 6 weeks. Body weights gain were decreased (3.2% and 29.3%, respectively) In LTR-50 and LTR-100 groups, whereas food intakes were significantly increased (24.5% and 40.7%, respectively) compared with control group. Feed efficiencies were significantly decreased (22.2% and 49.8%, respectively) in these two LTR groups, whereas gross efficiencies (GE) were increased (9.9% and 10.4%, respectively) compared with control group. The ratios of diet intake (DI)/metabolic body size (MBS) were remarkably increased (50.3% and 136.1%, respectively) in these groups. Triglyceride and LDL-cholesterol levels were significantly decreased (22.4% and 32.6%, 8.3% and 12.7%, respectively) in these two groups, but HDL-cholesterol levels were desirably increased by 3∼10% in LTR-added groups. Atherogenic indices (AIs) were significantly decreased about 8∼13% in LTR-added groups compared with control group. These results suggest that an edible mushroom, Lentinus tuber-regium may inhibit obesity in above 50%-LTR by increasing a diet intake, GE and DI/MBS ratio, but may also effectively modulate a chronic degenerative diseases by improving a lipid metabolism.
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